Mohun Bagan SG travelled to Guwahati for their 2026/27 ISL opener with plenty of expectation on their shoulders. The reigning IFA Shield champions had spent pre-season collecting silverware, and head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis had made it clear before kickoff that nothing short of three points would do.
Instead, they flew home empty-handed after a 1-0 defeat to NorthEast United FC at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, with Jithin M.S. striking at 90+2′ to settle the contest.
It was the kind of result that stings because the Mariners did so much right. They hit the woodwork twice, forced Gurmeet Singh into a series of saves and defended well for most of the night. Yet the scoreboard is the only story that counts. Here are three mistakes that cost Mohun Bagan a winning start.
Wasting the chances they created
The Mariners had enough openings to be out of sight before the break. Lee Erwin’s early effort struck the woodwork, and it was the first of several moments where the final touch simply wasn’t there. Lallianzuala Chhangte made plenty of pacy runs from the right wing, but his decisions and distribution in the final third were questionable, and all that running added up to very little. Bagan were also caught offside repeatedly, which killed promising moves before they could develop.
Even the substitutes could not find the finishing touch. Liston Colaco tested Gurmeet and kept the NorthEast defence busy, but most of his shots missed the target. In the 87th minute, Suhail Bhat met a Colaco cross only to see his effort hit the post, Bagan’s second brush with the woodwork on the night.
The irony is that NorthEast United barely troubled Vishal Kaith with shots on target until the winner arrived. Matches like this are decided by whoever takes their moment, and Bagan did not. Dilmperis wants a more aggressive, attacking side this season, but intent without a clinical edge only produces frustration.
Changing the attack at the wrong moment
Dilmperis’ first change came at the start of the second half, when Manvir Singh replaced Chhangte. Manvir struggled to make an impact, and the early switch did not give Bagan the spark they were looking for. The bigger decision came around the hour mark, when Colaco and Miguel Figueira replaced Sahal Abdul Samad and Erwin.
Sahal had been the most troublesome player for the hosts, creating chances with his dribbling and winning fouls in the middle of the park, while Erwin had come close to scoring on several occasions. Taking both off at once removed Bagan’s most dangerous reference points in the final third.
Miguel looked short of options, and the attacking intent faded once Erwin left the pitch. Anirudh Thapa later came on to bring stability to the midfield, but by then the Highlanders were controlling large spells of the game.
In fairness, not every change failed. Colaco brought instant energy, and Bhat’s arrival nearly produced a goal. But Juan Pedro Benali’s substitutions made Northeast sharper, while Dilmperis left Bagan with less of a threat than they started with. Dilmperis had spoken before the game about pre-season work on two formations, giving his players tactical flexibility. That flexibility now needs to translate into smarter in-game management.
Losing focus when it mattered most
For most of the night, Mohun Bagan’s defence was excellent. Rahul Bheke and Alberto Rodriguez formed a strong partnership at the heart of the back line; Mehtab Singh kept Alaaeddine Ajaraie quiet in the first half, and Tekcham Abhishek stayed alert on the flank. When a cross reached Jithin in the 71st minute, Mehtab intervened at the last moment. Even Ajaraie’s long-range strike was ruled out for offside.
But football punishes lapses late on. The Highlanders grew more dangerous as the game wore on, with Nikola Ninkovic’s deliveries causing real problems, and that closing stretch exposed a dip in concentration. Deep into added time, Kaith saved NorthEast’s first effort, but the rebound off the post fell for Jithin, who reacted quickest and finished. Nobody in a Bagan shirt won the second ball, and the clean sheet they had worked so hard for vanished in an instant.
Dilmperis had also acknowledged before the game that his squad may need time to sustain a high level of intensity throughout a match, and that concern looked prophetic. A side that wants to press high and attack in numbers has to stay switched on until the final whistle, especially away from home.
Mohun Bagan visit SC Delhi next, with Chennaiyin FC coming to Kolkata after that. Last season they lost the title to East Bengal on goal difference, a reminder of how much every point matters. Dropping all three in Guwahati could prove expensive.
Follow Footy India on Instagram and X for more updates on Indian Football.
